Monday, December 04, 2006

Salty Language & Christmas Joy

Another christmas season brings yet another search for the coveted toy that no store carries. Last year it was the Dream Life game for Jasmine. She really wanted this video game and we really wanted to give it to her. So, of course, when we saw it several weeks before christmas we said "We'll have to make sure we come back and pick that up for her." Yeah, we're fucking idiots. The game sold out and was no where to be found. I started monitoring internet sites that sold it. I checked them two or three times a day to see if the game was in stock. One did finally pop up five days before christmas. The only way to guarantee a christmas delivery was to have it overnighted. My mom forked over her credit card and Jasmine had the game christmas morning - for three times what it sells for in stores right now.

Ah well. She was happy and my mom was happy to give it to her. The story ends well.

And it begins again. Violet is desperate for the Baby Alive doll. It's all she asks for when the subject of christmas is brought up. I'm fairly certain that Violet's interest in this doll stems from the fact the thing poops. I could fool myself into believing that she has some deep-seated mother instincts that really need an outlet to display, but I know the truth. The baby poops and Violet wants to be there when she does. She wants to hold her nose and scream "Ewwww!" and poke at the poop and make the baby do it all again. She's gross like that. But still, she wants it and I want her to have it.

The world, it seems, does not.

I can't find this freakin' doll anywhere. All the heavy hitters (Toys R Us, Target, Walmart) are out of stock. I checked some of the other toy sites out there and everyone is backordered until after Christmas. I did find a couple of Hispanic and African American ones out there, but she has her heart set on the blonde girl (yeah, yeah, take your racist rants elsewhere. She's two. I'll save the cultural equality lesson for the Fisher Price School Bus. There's a black kid and a handicapped kid on that ride). Of course we do have some options out there if we get desperate enough. Amazon.com has a few of the tow headed beauties. And in the spirit of Christmas they have jacked the price up to only $120. Generous to a fault, aren't they? And there's always Ebay where the really desperate are buying up the babies for just as much.

If I even think of spending that much someone needs to hit me over the head with a Tickle Me Elmo TMX.

**UPDATE** Walmart.com had a few in stock for $34.77! I ordered two - one for Violet & Lila. The order has yet to ship, and they are now back to being out of stock. Keep your fingers crossed for me, I'd like to come through this without resorting to drinking heavily.